Field of the Invention
The disclosed invention generally relates to a case construction for encasing an electronic device such as a laptop type computer, tablet type computer, mobile phone or similar other mobile communications device. More particularly, the disclosed invention provides a device-holding case construction with pivotal sectional features for enabling a user to selectively encase an electronic device and/or selectively display the electronic device in either an angled landscape orientation or an angled portrait orientation.
Brief Description of the Prior Art
Case constructions for use in combination with electronic devices such as tablet type computers, smart phones and the like are well known in this field of art. While the basic function of a basic case construction is to protect and/or enclose the device it encases, the art continues to develop with an eye toward enhancing functionality of the case constructions so as to provide the user with various means of manipulating and/or re-positioning the devices for use and display. Several of the more pertinent prior art patent-related disclosures relating to case constructions and the like for holding and enabling display of the devices they hold are described hereinafter.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,359,078 ('078 patent) and U.S. Pat. No. 8,731,626 ('626 patent), issued to Hung and owned by Belkin International, Inc. of Playa Vista Calif., disclose a Mobile Media Device Enclosure, Method of Use of Mobile Media Device Enclosure, and Method of Providing a Mobile Media Device Enclosure. The '078 and '626 patents each describe certain mobile media device enclosures or cradles having an interior, an exterior, a top side, a bottom side, a right side, and a left side wherein the interior is configured to form a cavity sized and shaped to retain a mobile media device.
The enclosures further include both a vertical boundary and a horizontal boundary. The vertical boundary is configured to substantially bisect the mobile media device enclosure from the top side to the bottom side, and the horizontal boundary is configured to substantially bisect the mobile media device enclosure from the left side to the right side. The vertical and horizontal boundaries are thus configured to substantially divide the mobile media device enclosure into four sections, each of which is flexibly and elastically coupled to two other sections of the four sections, and each of which four sections may be temporarily removed from the electronic device.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,640,864 ('864 patent) and U.S. Pat. No. 9,010,529 ('529 patent), issued to Chen et al. and assigned to ASUSTeK Computer Inc. of Taipei, Taiwan, disclose certain Foldable Covers. The '864 and '529 patents describe foldable covers for protecting or supporting a portable electronic device comprising a supporting unit and a fixing unit. The supporting unit comprises a plurality of first separations, a convergent part and a plurality of first slab-shaped parts. Each first separation is connected to the convergent part. The fixing unit is connected to the supporting unit to fix the portable electronic device. When the first slab-shaped parts are located at the same surface, the supporting unit covers the portable electronic device. When a three dimensional structure is formed by the first separations, the convergent part and the first slab-shaped parts, the supporting unit supports the portable electronic device.
From a review of the foregoing citations in particular, and from a consideration of the prior art in general, it will be seen that the prior art perceives a need for a case construction including both a device-retention mechanism and a multi-section jacket wherein the multi-section jacket comprises or includes multiple parallel primary pivot axes with intersecting oblique pivot axes for enabling secondary pivot axes orthogonal to the primary pivot axes as summarized according to the present invention in more detail hereinafter.